Isaac Searl was born on 03 October 1789 in the town of Whitehall, Washington County. He was one of fifteen children of Gideon and Hannah Searl. His biography in Everts, 1879 described him "as having an inbred love of truth and ever a faithful devotee at honor’s shrine in all the social, civil, financial and political relations of life.”

"Young Marse John and me waz born, dey say, de same day. We growed up togeddar, and he was mighty nice to me. He teach me de ABC's on de sly. W'en Ol' Miss find out, she thrass us bot. Bimby Ol' Marse die. Mo'gage on de plantation. I heah dey goin' sell de ol' silber, furntiture, me and dat kin' ob stuff. "Nex' mornin'. Marse John he say to me, 'dey going sell you ijnto Georgia. Yo better go 'way and stay a while'. No I say, who milk de cow? 'Cow milk herself,' he say. I keep quiet, didn't say much".

Genevieve was born on Earle Hill Road in the town of Leon, December 17, 1912. Her parents were Merritt Jay and Anna J. Eddy Earle. Grandparents, Thomas and Eva (Miranda) Eddy Earle, Jay Enos and Anna Mary Bush Eddy. The farm was the home of the first settler James Wells and history claims this farm was used as a station for the Underground railroad. This "railroad" crossed the state line near Sugar Grove, passed through Busti, Jamestown, Falconer, Ellington and then Leon. There were two lines of this "railroad" from Leon.

The following essay was written by a 12 year old student from Portville, NY.

The Underground Railroad was a passage to freedom for many slaves from the 1780's until the end of slavery in 1865. The penalty for assisting a fleeing slave was a $1,000 fine and imprisonment; all those involved showed great bravery. One of those valorous people was my heroine, Sarah Johnson.

This information is from: http://orbitist.com/2014/07/07/anti-slavery-activists-in-the-1800s/ Note from Sue M. Cross, Town of Mansfield Historian. Chamberlain is another of the men that helped to free the wife and son of run away slave Joseph (Jo) Norton whose tale is told in Eber Pettit's Sketches in the History of the Underground Railroad, ed. Willard McKinstry, Fredonia, Ny 1879. William Pitt Angel from Ellicottville, NY was another whose signature was on the letter to Hon. E. T.

In 1886, Jenks and Ross built a creamery or cheese factory at East Leon. At one time, it was a large plant that received milk from more than 1,000 cows. The same year, Hunt and Caneen erected a two-story building, 30x120, on East Road at Leon Center. It was known as the Jenks and Ross No. 2 factory.

One evening, in the fall of 1895, a group of Leon people met in the Albert Ackler Cheese Factory on Wells HIll to discuss organizing a Grange. It was decided to call Deputy E. C. Ferguson from Conewango for the purpose. Mr. Ferguson met with these people October 7, 1895 in the Leon Hotel, and from the twenty-two charter members, the following members were elected as its officers:-Worthy Master - Hiram Crofoot-Overseer - Harrison Franklin-Lecturer - Mrs. M.G. Peckham-Assistant Steward - Mark Gorsline-Gate Keeper - Aras Wood

LEON - Jodi Oakes, a member of the Leon Historical Social, dedicated the 100-year monument on Memorial Day, May 30.

A Soldiers Monument was dedicated May 30, 1911. It consists of seven pieces of granite, a base 7-feet square, surmounted by a full-size sculptured soldier in honor of soldiers of the Civil War. It is 25-feet tall. Purchased from Frank Forness of Salamanca, it cost about $2,000. Captain Fancher Post 310, G.A.R., Women Relief Corps 156, Senator Albert T Fancher, and friends provided the funds.

The Plumb brothers, Joseph (1791-1870) and Alvin ( 1802-1877) were active abolitionists. Brother Ralph (1795-1865) may also have been an abolitionist However, at this time we do not have the documentation to make that claim.